Tearing down the Mask
by sue9292
Summary: Draco always had a mask on,you could not see his emotions because he hid them.Only one girl could take off the mask. She had the power.A story of love and adventure.starts off kinda odd but HAPPY ENDING.rated just in case.not just about draco and hermione
1. Chapter 1

Words fail him of the beauty he saw in her. It all changed. And he with it.

His stony exterior masked the emotions well. He could be angry, sad, happy, any emotion he pleased without anyone seeing. It was a sort of game to him, he'd try to hold onto a powerful emotion and see if anyone noticed a change in him. No one did of course; he was too good for them.

Absolutely no one saw his emotions. His father had taught him well. That man had tried to mould him, he had taught him well but in his eyes the student had become the master. His father had taught him too well, even his own father could not see that his son despised all that he stood for. Keeping himself and the ones around him safe meant living up to his father's teachings. The ones around him had no idea of the emotions he kept inside...for them, always for them. Not for himself. He never truly thought of himself. All that he did was for others.

A small part of him in the back of his mind was not happy, not happy that no one knew what he did for them. It angered that small part of him, but it also saddened it as well. That part of himself was always locked away, as were his emotions on many long days.But then one person came into his life. That one person changed his life forever.

Words fail him of the beauty he saw in her. It all changed. And he with it.


	2. Chapter 2

In second year she had first caught his eye properly. He'd gotten into the quidditch team. She was stood there with real true friends, she stood up to him, keeping her safe he spoke the word he hated most in the world. That day she had sparked true fire in him, those simple yet affective words she used which doubted him and his talent in the sport he loved. He knew she had seen that fire in his eyes and hated her for splintering his perfect mask.

In third year she had hit him. Another crack appeared in the mask he had fought so hard to keep.

In fourth year he had kept her safe, yet again saying the word he hated most to her in the forest, reminding her that they were coming, that she wasn't safe.

In fifth year small, almost unnoticeable splintered soared through his mask as he kept them safe and worked for those men. Those men who had ruined his mother's life and so many others.

Now it was sixth year, he had spent most of his summer repairing the mask. He was on his way to the station. He silently wished she would not tear down the mask he had held so perfectly before he had met her. If she did...he did not want to know what would happen and would not let a single moment inside his mind be filled by the thought.

She was the only one who got to him. Not even his mother did that. She was the only one who looked at him as if there was no mask. He knew that he always got what he wanted. And what he wanted was for her to stay away from him. Because only she had the power to take down his mask and show him to the world, so many lives would be lost if he was to show what he felt, he could not let that happen.

But sometimes fate has a different plan than we thought.


	3. Chapter 3

"Draco!"

A happy sigh escaped his lips before he'd even realised. Damn her.

His one true friend was running towards him. Blaise Zambini was a person you found it hard not to like, and Draco hadn't even tried not to like him. Blaise was his one outlet for his feelings. The one person he actually talked to as a friend. Blaise knew of the turmoil in his mind and had long given up on trying to change him. Blaise was different from her because he had willingly told Blaise of his suffering, she had taken it, saw it without permission.

Draco turned on the spot and him and Blaise shook hands under the eyes of their parents. A glint was held in Blaise's eye, the same as one Draco held in his as he greeted his friend. Their parents watching closely for anything unusual they walked side by side through the barrior and as soon as they were through Blaise flung his arms around Draco, almost choking the poor blonde.

"I need to breathe Blaise!" He cried out, startled slightly by the dark haired boy.

Blaise just let go and grinned cheekily.

"Going to avoid her this year then?" He asked simply, tilting his head to the side.

Draco's face fell back under the mask at the mention of her.

"Yes" He answered simply

Blaise just smiled more.

"Like last year? Or the year before, or my favourite...the year she hit you?"

"Ha ha" Draco replied, no humour in his voice, though a smirk made itself welcome on his face at his friend's humour.

"Come on then, better get on the train" Blaise told him, nodding his head towards the train and giving him a pat on the shoulder as a signal to move.

They both made their way onto the train in comfortable silence, dragging their bags with them. As they sat next to the window in an empty compartment both looked out at the parents and children saying goodbye to each other.

That's when he saw her. Her curly hair and dark brown eyes making him press his forehead against the window.

His breath steamed up the glass as he stared at her, not knowing nor caring if anyone was watching.

It was like she had an aura of the brightest gold he'd ever seen, she looked like an angel. She'd grown taller he noticed, she smiled as she talked with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

That smile, he'd give her the world just to see that smile directed at him. He felt a literal pull towards her. She was like a veela, he knew he would do anything to see that smile, to see her with him.

"Finally realising something are you?" Blaise asked quietly, his voice gentle and understanding.

Draco's head swam. How was he just realising it?

"Over the summer I bet you put up every defence you knew of, just to keep her out. You forgot about the one thing you can't put up a barrior for...Love." Blaise answered, knowing exactly what his best friend had on his mind.

Draco looked at Blaise for a moment before kicking off. He gave a cry of anguish before punching the wall with all the energy he could muster. Then turning his attention to the window he swung at it. The whole thing cracked, it held its own but he could no longer see through the window. As Draco breathed heavily he looked at the glass. It reminded him of his mask. If someone was to put a single finger to it the whole thing would crash to the ground and the space it had once filled you be empty and free.

Blaise waved his wand at the glass and it found its way back to perfection, now that was something his mask could not do, he couldn't fix it with a wave of his wand.

He then turned and silently fixed the gaping hole in the wall and turned back to Draco, he stood and healed his friend's hands and sat back down, his eyes never leaving his sorrowful friend.

Draco's hands found their way to his head as he evened out his breathing, his eyes shut.

"You can't stop your feelings from showing themselves Draco. I've tried to tell you that before. But you went against what I said and hid them all away, but I think now you've found the one true emotion that you cannot hide. I must thank her for teaching you that lesson in a way I could not" Blaise told him, looking into Draco's now open eyes.

"I can't, I mustn't, I won't!" Draco cried.

"Don't try to fight this Draco! You need to accept that feelings are meant to be shown" Blaise told him sharply.

Draco sighed heavily before falling back onto the seat.

"I refuse to believe that." He told Blaise coldly before turning back to look through the window. His eyes almost immediately finding the young witch who had captured his interest for so many years.

Blaise left the conversation at that but throughout the silent trip to Hogwarts he formed a plan in his mind. A plan that only a Slytherin could have thought of.


	4. Chapter 4

_Dear Albus, _

_You may not remember me but we were once firm friends in our youth, you would often come to me for advise and I would happily oblige, and I do hope that you will accept me advise even after all these years apart. In my retirement I have very little to do in my cottage. On one of my frequent walks along the promenade I wondered of Hogwarts and its rivalries which have for so long caused a rift within its land. _

_As Voldemort grows stronger find it even more imperative to the lives of so many that the school be united against him. And so I ask of you to find a way to link strong leading members from each house under one roof, if the houses stand firm together then we stand much more of a chance of defeating the dark shadow which moves across the land we walk on._

_Yours concernedly, Your friend and ally._

Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk in the circle shaped room which had been his for many a year with a humorous glint in his blue eyes as he read a letter which had been sent to him only half an hour before the students arrived for another year. He placed his fingertips together and thought to himself _Mr Zambini needs to work on his tact really doesn't he. __Although he does have a point, hmm..._

"Are those first years getting smaller?" Harry asked no body in particular as the trio sat down in the large and very noisy hall. Watching the hat sort the first years.

Hermione smiled and Ron replied

"I'm sure I was never that small, they look as short as the gnomes at the burrow!"

"Of course you were that small at one time or another, I'd hate to think of Mrs Weasley having to give birth to you when you're about 6 foot now!" Hermione replied with a cheeky smile on her face.

Ron pulled his tongue out and started a poke war which lasted right up to when Dumbledore started to speak.

Blaise sat fidgeting as the old man explained about the forbidden forest being what its name implied...forbidden, his fingers crossed under the table as he waited with baited breath while

Draco gave him odd looks and dismissed it to hunger.

"Ah students, another year has come to us. I know that you all want to start eating but there is one more announcement I must make. As you all know a dark shadow is crossing our land-" Blaise grinned like a madman, those were the exact words he had used in the letter, Dumbledore must have read it!

"And yet again I cannot stress the importance that we as a school stand together. And to prove this I have decided to choose those who I think are of the most influence or are the most well known to each house and they will reside in a special set of rooms within the school to promote school unity within the houses. Those students are:

**Gryffindor:**

Hermione Granger

Ronald Weasley

Harry Potter

Lavender Brown

**Slytherin:**

Draco Malfoy

Pansy Parkinson

Theodore Nott

Blaise Zambini

**Ravenclaw:**

Luna Lovegood

Lucas Warrington

Michael Corner

Padma Patil

**Hufflepuff:**

Susan Bones

Hannah Abbot

Ernie Macmillen

Zacharias Smith

The whole Hall erupted noise as each house defended their most known students.

At the Slytherin table Blaise was trying to hide his joy, Draco was tearing his hair out...literally, Pansy was banging her head on the table and Nott was throwing things and yelling swear words at Dumbledore.

Hufflepuff was the quietest as their chosen four looked quite happy at the idea.

Ravenclaw were chatting noisily and trying to find out if they could see a loop hole.

And Gryffindor was shouting at the Slytherin table for them to keep away from their chosen four under pain of death.

As Draco calmed down his eyes found her again. She was watching Dumbledore, a pensive look on her face as if she was trying to find another reason for his decision. Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley were both talking heatedly across the table but she ignored them, she was ignoring everyone but their Headmaster, Draco watched as Dumbledore nodded towards her and smiled, she smiled back and with one last glance at him she turned to calm down her friends.

Blaise watched his friend and a sudden frown appeared on his face, how was he going to convince Granger that Draco didn't just want to have his wicked way with her for the Dark Lord?

He shrugged it off; he'd figure that out later.

Once the hall had quietened down a bit Dumbledore stood once more in front of his school

"Those students will follow me to their new rooms after the feast. Enjoy!" He waved his arms and the golden plates filled, everyone got back to their normal routine of chat, eat, swallow (although many boys skipped this part), chat.

After the plates had been cleared everyone stood and the select few waved goodbye to their housemates and followed Dumbledore out of the hall.

Each houses chosen few walked together in a group, as if scared of what would happen if separated.

"Now your rooms will be like any other house and you will be sharing a room with 1 or two others from different houses. The password is unity and only if all of you agree will the portrait allow you to change the password-"

Dumbledore stopped suddenly and they all grouped around him. He smiled wryly and then spoke again.

"Now this portrait is unlike any I think you have ever seen. She was painted by a very talented young witch who I'm sure you have all heard of. Lily Potter."

Dumbledore's eyes fell onto Harry whose eyes flew to the portrait. There was no one there, the background was of a field, there was a willow tree and beyond that there was as many fields as you could count, the sky was as blue as he had ever seen it and in the right hand bottom corner he saw the loopy signature which said Lilly Evans.

"It seemed that the occupant has gone for a walk. So I shall leave you to wait for them to get back. Goodbye."

Once he had left they all stood in silence, all watching the painting.

Along that corridor there were many paintings all lined up together. All had their occupants inside, watching the students wait.

The silence was broken by a sort of panting noise. Like someone was out of breath and running.

They all stepped back a little to watch as a Blonde girl raced through each portrait, tripping over tables and pushing people over in her haste, shouting apologies she kept running until she became visible in the portrait they needed to go through.

They could not see her face as her long blonde hair fell over her face, she put her hands to her knees, doubled over and panted. After a few minutes she stood up and flung her hair over her shoulder. She was very pretty and wearing a blue dress, she had eyes the colour of the sky behind her. That's when she noticed them.

"Sorry I'm late, it was that bloody giraffe's fault so don't blame me-"She stopped suddenly and stepped forwards as much as she could.

"You're a Potter?" She asked, staring at Harry who nodded.

"Where is your mother? She hasn't been to visit me since you were a baby, I have so missed her" She cried. Harry looked taken aback. She didn't know?

"I'm sorry. But she's dead" Harry told her sadly.

They watched as the girl fell to her knees.

"No she can't be! You lie!" She told him almost desperately, tears appearing in her eyes as she looked at him.

"It's true. I'm sorry" Harry told her, tears were forming in his eyes as well now.

The girl looked at Harry for a while and stood up, wiping her tears away she asked him

"What's your name?"

"Harry"

She gasped and smiled "I can't believe she called you that! We talked about it once just after your mother and James got together, I told her she should call her first child Harry because I loved that name" She explained.

"You talked with her? You knew her" Harry asked, eyes welling up more with each word.

She nodded and smiled "All the time. She painted me in her first year. Back then she had no one. I was her best friend. She told me everything about what was going on in her life."

The tears in Harry's eyes spilled out.

"Don't cry!" The girl told him and then she did something none of them were expecting. She stepped out of the painting and wrapped Harry in a fierce hug. She was no longer paint and oil, she was flesh and bone. He clung to her, not caring that she was supposed to be a painting only knowing that she was something his mother had created. Her hand stroked his hair and she shushed his sobs quietly.

When she stepped back Harry looked at his feet. She put a finger under his chin and asked "Gryffindor?" He nodded with a slight chuckle

She laughed "Your mother would be so proud of you"

Somehow it seemed different when she said it. Many people had told him that but none of them had known her properly until she'd grown up in 7th year.

"Well then. Sorry about being late again. Stupid giraffe." She muttered before stepping back into the portrait.

"We'll have to talk sometime Harry." She told him before turning to look at the whole group.

"The chosen ones. I'm sure none of you realise the power you all hold in your houses do you? Though perhaps you do..." She finished by looking Hermione straight in the eye.

"Okay then enough chit chat. Password?" She said in a posh voice uncanny to the fat lady.

"Unity" Hermione told her.

The portrait nodded with a smile, pointed inside and said "go on then go get some sleep."

"Wait. What's your name?" Harry asked her before she swung open fully.

"Bellona." She answered "She painted me in a time of war and so she named me after a goddess of war. Now get some sleep. No doubt you'll all need it being cooped up together."

And so they all left her, Harry went through last and as he did he saw the sky behind Bellona turn into an amazing starry night sky. And he could have sworn her eyes changed with it.


	5. Chapter 5

_That was...odd _Thought Blaise as they all stepped through the portrait, Blaise may have been a Slytherin but he was also a gentleman and so he let Lovegood and Hannah Abbot go through first, stopping Weasley to step through himself.

He suddenly found himself in a room as large at the Slytherin common room but much warmer, a roaring fire flickered, there were large purple arm chairs and sofas surrounding the fire and as he looked further at the other end of the room on either side of the wall was a large staircase, both linking in the middle to form a corridor where 3 black doors were lined up on the left and 4 dark brown doors on the right with initials that he could not read from where he was.

Once they were all grouped up together near the back of the portrait they had just come back through there was an awkward silence, they all looked at each other nervously. Hermione was the first to move as she tried to get to a bookcase, Blaise slipped his foot out, making her fall and on instinct Draco caught her before she hit the ground.

Everyone stopped.

Draco and Hermione were in such a position it looked as though they were dancing and he had dipped her.

"Thanks" Hermione nodded before balancing herself again before continuing to walk towards the bookcase. Blaise received dirty glares from everyone but he shook them off and smirked at them.

Draco crossed his arms and raised a suspicious eyebrow at Blaise who shrugged and flopped onto a nearby seat.

"Why is everyone so quiet?" Luna's dreamy voice echoed through the silent room.

"Because Blondie, we all hate each other so we don't have that much to talk about now do we?" Theodore told her harshly.

"No making fun of Blondes Theo!" They all turned to look at a large painting hanging over the fireplace. There sat Bellona on a sofa uncannily like the ones in the real common room

"So you have more than one portrait then?" Michael asked the obvious question.

She nodded "I can also go into the boys and girl's bedrooms, so watch out boys" She told them with sending a wink to the boys and giving them a mocking seductive smile.

Harry grinned, Ron went bright red, Ernie's glasses fell off his nose, Michael looked her up and down and each of the Slytherin boys raised an eyebrow. The girls just laughed.

"Hey how did you know my name and not Potter's when you first met him?" Theodore asked her haughtily.

"I misplaced the list of names I had, I just found it. And his name is not Potter" She replied, holding up an old piece of parchment with their names on.

"Okay then what are all of our names? Without looking at the list!" Blaise asked her, adding the last part when she glanced at the parchment in her hand.

She huffed and threw the parchment over her shoulder before pointing at each of them in turn.

"Hermione Granger-Dangerous. Blaise Zambini-Plotting something. Draco Malfoy-Hiding something. Pansy Parkinson-Self obsessed. Theodore Nott-I don't like you already. Ronald Weasley-fighting to get out of his brothers shadow. Lavender Brown-Gossip. Harry Potter-Full of questions. Luna Lovegood-imaginative. Ernie Macmillen-thinks he's smart. Susan Bones-sweet. Hannah Abbot-funny. Lucas Warrington-posh boy. Padma Patil-kind. Michael Corner-quidditch obsessed. And finally Zacharias Smith-smart ass. Happy now Blaise?" She recited.

"Quite" Blaise replied calmly. He wanted to be on her good side for some reason.

"Oh and Dumbledore told me to tell you guys that tomorrow you won't have to go to classes but you will be stuck in these rooms. The house elves will bring food up." She added, leaning back on the sofa and tipping her head back. The girls all rolled their eyes as the boys watched.

"Why couldn't we just get our own food, isn't it more work for the house elves?" Hermione asked. Now in S.P.E.W mode.

"I said the same thing. Believe me I tried Hermione but Dumbledore insisted." Bellona replied, stretching her arms above her head making the dress she wore go up showing a little more leg. Yet again the girls rolled their eyes at the boys.

"Boys it makes me uncomfortable when people stare at me, I would say take a picture it would last longer but I am one so that saying doesn't help me now does it" She told the boys who all immediately looked at their feet.

"So any questions?" Bellona asked, swinging her legs up onto the sofa.

"How can you step out of your painting?" Ernie asked, sitting down in an armchair.

Bellona looked at him closely with her head tilted to the side.

"Guess it can't hurt to tell you lot. In Lily's fifth year we were talking one day when she suddenly said 'I with you weren't a painting Bell. Then I could hug you and I wouldn't have to sit here in the middle of a corridor on a hard floor talking to a painting.' Then she got an idea, suddenly she ran off and I didn't see her for two days. When she came back she was holding a large dusty book. She told me that she'd found a spell which could make me, I guess the word is real, for short periods of time, I could step out of my painting every once in a while. It worked, I was amazed really, I could feel the blood flowing through me, feel the wind blowing past me and I could hug lily" By this point Bellona's eyes had closed as she reminisced

"All throughout her later years at Hogwarts she tried to find a spell which could make me real forever, but she never did find one. As she visited less and less because she was trying to free me-"She opened her eyes to look at Harry "A young man visited me more and more. James Potter. He'd sit against the wall and tell me how much he loved your mother. Until one day I got so fed with him that I followed him round through paintings until he did what I wanted with him to make me stop. I told him to go up to Lily and kiss her. And he did. Never apart after that."

"So if it weren't for you Harry's parents would have never gotten together?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Bellona shook her head and told her modestly "No I'm sure it would have happened eventually, I just got them to do it sooner that's all"

"Now you lot had better get to bed. At 10am I've been told to kick you all out of your rooms." She told them, waving her arms towards the doors at the doors up the stairs.

They all shuffled up the stairs slowly.

Pansy almost had a fit when she found that she was sharing a room with Hermione.

"I refuse to share a room with that know-it-all Bitch!" She cried.

"Calm down Pansy, it's not that bad" Luna told her calmly.

"Shut it Loopy! I will not share a room with that jumped up mudblood!" She shrieked.

Draco was about to hex her into oblivion when they all saw Bellona sprint up the stairs and hover her hand very close to Pansy's head, her palm was emitting angry red sparks. Bellona's face was filled with loathing.

"Say that word again and I will not hesitate to kill you Pansy." Her voice shaking with the strain of keeping calm.

Pansy looked terrified and whimpered a quick 'I'm sorry'

Bellona's hand fell to her side and she stared into Pansy's eyes.

"It's ok Bellona. I'm sure Pansy won't do it again" Blaise intervened. Bellona allowed him to drag her a few feet away and with a swish of her dress she walked down the stairs and called goodnight to the group.

"She's scary when she's mad" Ron said gulping and with that he walked into his room with Lucas and Theodore

Hermione smiled at Pansy to say you got told and went into hers and Pansy's room.

Harry and Blaise found their room and walked in without a word.

Ernie allowed Zacharias to enter their room first then followed, shutting the door quietly.

Michael walked into his and Draco's room with out even looking at the blonde Slytherin who followed.

Susan, Lavender and Padma shook hands as they had never properly met before and started chatting happily as they walked side by side into their shared room.

And finally Luna almost glided into hers, Susan's and Hannah's room, quickly followed by the two others.

"I don't want any trouble Zambini so let's both just say that we'll ignore each other unless necessary. Deal?" Harry said to Blaise as they both sat on a bed each. They had a room which was easily as big as the Gryffindor ones.

"Deal Potter" Blaise replied after thinking about it for a while.

"But that's no fun!" An indignant voice whined.

Harry put a hand to his heart as they both saw Bellona.

"Can you please not come into the boys rooms?" Blaise cried.

"That wouldn't be any fun either. Boys this whole thing is about getting to know each other! At least call each other by your first names" She told them, looking from one to the other.

The boys glanced at each other before nodding.

Bellona clapped her hands together and stood up "Now I'm going to go see if I can get that boy Ernie to scream, should be fun" She winked at them before walking out of the frame. A moment they heard a girlish cry coupled with Bellona's rich laughter and they also heard Zacharias start yelling profanities.

"Remind me never to get on her bad side" Blaise said laughing. Harry laughed as well and they both smartly decided to get changed under the covers of their bed in case Sue decided to catch them half dressed or worse.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N CANNOT BELIEVE I FORGOT PADMA!-she is sharing a room with Susan and Lavender! There is a lot of talking in this chapter and one or two secrets are revealed...

All was silent in The Chosen ones house. There was not a single sound. Not even a mouse (just had to add that in!) All was calm and quiet as the teenagers slept in their rooms, all comfy and warm and cosy...

Until each teenager found them selves being thrown out of their rooms that is.

They all landed in a pile in the middle of the corridor.

"Ok ow that hurt" Michael said as he stood up, he used his good arm to help Luna up who he had fallen on top of.

Blaise pushed Ron off of him roughly and then lay back on the floor with a moan, his feet still trapped by Harry who could not move because Hannah was lying across his stomach.

"Malfoy I can't breathe!" Hermione cried as Draco struggled to move off of her. Though he wasn't trying hard to get Zacharias off of him because he quite happy for Hermione to be underneath him.

Susan was unfortunately underneath Theodore who was swearing loudly as Lavender struggled to get off of him after hurting her back in the fall, Ron stood and braced her while she stood and thankfully Susan was now able to breathe and Zacharias helped her up.

Poor Pansy had been crushed under Ernie and Lucas who were now both apologising frantically as they helped her up. She looked a little dazed and swayed on her feet, prompting Ernie to put a hand on her arm to steady her.

Padma had been saved from being trapped directly under anyone but had hit her head off the wall. Lucas helped her up and checked she wasn't bleeding.

"Bellona did warn us" Harry sighed as he ruffled his dishevelled hair.

Suddenly they all froze. Now realising what they were all wearing each of them turned slightly pink.

Draco with his blonde hair and frosty eyes was only wearing some black silk boxers. (Yummy thought)

Blaise with his black shaggy hair and hazel eyes was wearing dark green pyjama bottoms. (Yet again a yummy thought)

Hermione with her curly brown hair and dark amber eyes was wearing a red tank top and gold and red shorts.

Ron with his red hair and light brown eyes was wearing bright red pyjamas.

Luna was wearing turquoise quarter length pyjama bottoms and a small orange vest. This along with her long blonde hair and blue eyes did make the ensemble very odd to look at.

Lavender was in a short lilac nightgown which stopped way above her knees. This went very nicely with her long brown hair and dark eyes.

Zacharias with his dark blonde short hair, Ernie with his mousy brown hair, blue eyes and large glasses, Lucas with his dark brown hair and green eyes and Michael with his brown hair and amber eyes were wearing pyjamas from their respective houses.

Theodore with his dark brown almost black past his ears shaggy hair and grey eyes was wearing dark grey boxers. (in my story he's yummy aswell)

Harry with his normal messy black hair and green eyes was wearing dark red boxers with a small Gryffindor emblem.

Pansy with her long black hair and pale blue eyes was wearing a green sports bra and silvery grey shorts.

Susan with her layered light blonde hair and very warm blue but almost violet eyes and Padma with her dark plaited hair and even darker eyes were wearing pyjama bottoms and small tank tops, Susan's were light yellow and Padma's were pale blue.

"Yes I did warn you. But nooo you all don't listen to the girl in the painting now do you?" They heard Bellona's mocking voice come from downstairs.

"Can't we go and get changed?" Susan cried, looking the most nervous and uncomfortable out of all of them.

"Can't. Sorry." Bellona told her sounding genuinely sorry for it. They all walked down the stairs and sat down. An uncomfortable silence took over.

Blaise sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Okay this is boring now! How's about we do something to break the ice?" Bellona cried, hitting her hand off the arm of the sofa she was so comfortably on. Today she had a white blouse on and a long sea green gypsy skirt on which swayed attractively when ever she moved.

The teenagers nodded their okay and Bellona sat up straighter

"Okay we all have to go around the circle and tell everyone something we think about them or something you just ant to say to say to them, yeah?"

They all gave their hesitant nods and Bellona started.

"Okay. Blaise; that letter you wrote was pathetic but the result you got from writing it is turning out to be excellent." Blaise rolled his eye but smiled at her.

"Draco; I know that you like her, you should tell her." Draco's eyes widened slightly but he nodded.

"Hermione; you hold large grudges, some of them are just but people can change" Hermione nodded and her gaze flickered to the three Slytherin boys.

"Harry; your mother was the best friend I could have ever asked for and I think she'd want me to tell you not to keep your feelings bottled up so much, to find someone you can talk to and then spill your heart out to them, just choose the right person" Harry nodded and smiled slightly.

"Ron; don't try to live up to other peoples expectations. Live up to your own" He gave a smile and turned a little pink.

"Pansy and Theodore; all people are equal, everyone has dreams, thoughts, ideas, memories, fears and wishes. Think about that." Pansy simply looked at her, she did not nod, did not smile but she seemed to be thinking. Theodore's eye brows knitted as he pondered her words.

"Padma; your sister is special but so are you" Padma smiled brightly at her words.

"Michael; plenty of fish in the sea." Michael looked slightly shocked at first but then nodded.

"Lavender; that's a nice colour on you, also I can see that he likes you, just be yourself." Lavender glanced at someone in the room but no one could see who because it happened too fast.

"Susan; there is a very thin line between love and hate." Susan looked confused but nodded.

"Hannah; an Irish accent is so sexy, I totally agree with you there" Hannah blushed fiercely and giggled.

"Ernie; your studies are important but so are the people around you." Ernie nodded once.

"Zacharias; can I call you Zack?" On his nod she continued "respect other peoples strengths, do not fear them" He nodded slightly.

"And Luna; I think it's amazing how you can be so unique." Luna smiled dreamily.

"Okay my turn is over. Blaise you next, and include me!" She pointed at Blaise and then to herself excitedly.

"Okay then. Bellona; your scary as hell when your mad, I want to stay on your good side" Bellona chuckled to herself and nodded in agreement.

"Harry; I think that you need to trust the people around you more" Harry nodded in response.

"Draco; I have two words for you. Tell her" Draco glared at Blaise who promptly turned away from him to address Hermione.

"Hermione; I don't care if your muggleborn." Hermione smiled and nodded her thanks.

"Ron; Lavender fancies you" Ron turned bright red and Lavender put a pillow over her face.

"Lavender; Are you sure that you want ginger kids?" Blaise asked sceptically and got a pillow thrown in his face.

"God you people are grumpy in the mornings. Anyway...Lucas; I think you and Padma would make a great couple" Lucas turned to look at Padma who was staring at Blaise like he'd grown another head.

"Padma; stop looking at me like that." She huffed and stopped looking at him, instead choosing to look anywhere but at Lucas.

"Susan; the perfect guy for you is sitting in this room but I'm not going to tell you who, work it out for yourself." Susan looked at him oddly before giving a slightly scared look to each of the boys in the room.

"Theodore; see past your prejudices man!" Theodore huffed and leaned back in his seat.

"Pansy; get over yourself and treat other people better" Pansy glared and folded her arms.

"Hannah; I like that you care about your friends a lot, it's a good quality to have and I admire it." Hannah smiled broadly and said thanks.

"Ernie; I think you're an insufferable twat but I guess we're just very different so I can't properly hold it against you. Also I think in the future we'll be seeing a lot of each other so..." Ernie raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"Michael; although I hate to admit it...you're a good quidditch player" Michael grinned happily.

"Luna; you are without a doubt the strangest girl I've ever met, though I must admit, its refreshing" Luna smiled and waved.

"Zacharias; you're also a good quidditch play"

Ron was just about to start his turn when they heard a snap and all turned to see Dobby smiling brightly.

"Hello Harry Potter. I have come to see what everyone wants for breakfast?"

"Dobby!" Draco cried, standing up suddenly.

"Master Draco!" The elf cried back, running at his former master sending them both hurtling back on to the sofa.

"Why are you here?" Draco exclaimed. He had not seen Dobby since his second year at Hogwarts.

"Since Dobby was freed Dobby has worked for professor Dumbledore master Draco" The elf happily replied. Everyone else just sat and watched the happy reunion which was so unexpected, Malfoy looked...happy?!

After the two had talked for a few minutes Dobby turned and went to Hermione

"Did Hermione Granger finish the book Dobby lent her?" He asked, eyes shining bright

She nodded and smiled happily, leaning forwards eagerly

"Yes it was amazing, seeing things from an elf's perspective like that, truly inspiring to other elves"

Dobby nodded happily and then from no where a small notebook and a pencil appeared in his hand

"What do the chosen ones want to eat then?"

After taking their orders he disappeared with a snap and as he did a large table appeared in the very large space behind the sofas.

They all took a space and chatted among themselves quietly.

After a short while there was a knock on the portrait door. They all looked to Bellona who sighed and walked out of her portrait, they all went quiet as they watched the door, then they heard muffled voices from outside

"Sorry mate you can't come in today, the chosen ones have to stay in there all day"

"Don't be stupid!" A male voice cried

"Isn't that your boyfriend Susan?" Hannah asked

Susan nodded and lent towards the door as she bit her lip

"Don't call me stupid. My orders are that I'm not allowed to let anyone in today unless they have a teacher's password."Came Bellona's heated reply

"I want to see my girlfriend! Susan open the door!" He yelled through.

Susan went to the door obediently and tried to open in but to no avail

"I can't. We have to stay in here for today, we're not allowed out. I'm sorry David!" She cried through

"Let me in Susan! Who cares if you're supposed stay in there! Can't you stand up to anyone?" He yelled back through. Susan visibly shrunk away from the door.

"Hey you leave her alone!" Bellona screeched.

"Fine don't let me in your stupid portrait! Susan I will speak with you later!" He yelled angrily, though the last part sounded like a threat.

Susan just looked at the portrait, scared to look at the others reaction to her boyfriend's yells.

Bellona stormed back into the room and threw herself down onto the sofa. Just then the plates filled with their orders and they all started to eat quietly.

Susan breathed out and turned swiftly to sit back down silently.

"He didn't mean what he just said you know. He just gets angry sometimes that's all" Susan reasoned with the silence. They all looked at her sceptically. And she lowered her head a bit and started to eat.

"He shouldn't talk to you like that Susan" Bellona told her quietly.

She shook her head violently and refused to answer.

"Is...Is he always like that?" Hermione asked, trying to find the right words

"Of course not, he loves me and I love him and its just that sometimes I do stupid things and of course he's going to get annoyed but he never means it and he always says sorry if he yells at me and he loves me and I know he does" Susan rambled nervously.

Everyone fell back into silence and picked at heir food. Visions running through their heads at the thought of Susan's boyfriend.

"He's in Slytherin isn't he?" Lavender asked

"Yes. David Palmer." Susan answered with a nod.

Lavender nodded back awkwardly.

Draco and Blaise suddenly looked at each other. They both knew of David Palmer. And both felt suddenly sorry for Susan, this girl they had only just met.

Then they both looked to Pansy and Theodore. Who were both looking at Susan as well, everyone in Slytherin knew of David Palmer...and what he was capable of, Theodore and David were both, in a way, the leaders of Slytherin. Theodore because of his quidditch efforts and links and David Palmer because of his beliefs and behaviour.

The three Slytherin boys then turned to Pansy who all three were sure knew what David Palmer was like the best.

In an unnerving gesture of kindness she lent forwards on the table and looked intently at Susan

"Susan, I was once...involved with David. I know what he's like and I'm telling you now, you can talk to me, I don't care whether you're Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, muggle or Hufflepuff. When it comes to him you need to know what you're getting yourself into."

Susan looked up and met Pansy's eyes, she looked like a china doll, with one push you could break her and her face said she was so so close to accepting that offer but hen her eyes hardened and she looked at her plate

"I love him and he loves me. That's the end of it. Why would I need help from a _Slytherin girl like you_" She spat out the last words as if they were poison.

Amazingly Pansy just sighed sadly and started to eat again.

"Everyone's quiet again" Luna observed dreamily. Ron chuckled, as did Lavender, Michael and Lucas. Soon they were all talking again. Except the Slytherins and Susan who avoided their eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N thank you October Addums for pointing out that error, I know the spelling is wrong but I've gotten so used to writing his name that way it would take me a lot longer to write each chapter because I'd have to fix all my mistakes so please put up with me spelling it that way.

After the meal had been cleared they all sat talking, ignoring the tension concerning Susan before Blaise had an idea

"Hey how about we play that game where someone says something they've never done and anyone who has done that thing takes a sip of their drink?" Encouraged by their nods he started

"I've never ran away from home"

Susan, Harry, Theodore, Lucas, Lavender and Pansy took a sip of their drinks

"I've never been in a fight or been hit or kicked or anything" Luna supplied dreamily

Blaise, Draco, Theodore, Pansy, Susan, Ron, Harry, Michael, Hermione and Zacharias sipped.

"Hey who did you guys fight with then?" Ernie asked curiously

"If someone pisses me off I hit them, can't be bothered to think of them all" Blaise answered shrugging

"Same as Blaise" Draco answered

"Ditto" Theodore said with a scowl at bad memories

"Some muggle tried to rob me, we got into a brawl and I ended up knocking him out" Pansy told them smiling a little

"Me and my brother play fight sometimes" Susan answered, though you could tell there was something else

"I have 5 brothers and a younger sister, you do the math" Ron told them

"Just because" Harry shrugged

"I was beaten up by an ex-girlfriend's older brother" Michael begrudgingly told the group

"When I punched Malfoy" Hermione said smiling, causing most people round the table to smirk as Draco glared and grabbed his nose protectively

"Some guy tried to feel my little sister up so I hit him" Zacharias told them, leaning back in his chair slightly.

Next was Hermione's turn

"I've never...had sex"

Blaise, Draco, Pansy, Theodore and Zacharias sipped. A small sigh of relief passed Pansy's lips as she saw that Susan had not drank.

"I've never done my potions homework" Draco supplied smugly

None of the Slytherin sipped but everyone else did, the Slytherin four just sat back and smiled gloatingly.

"I've never been our of my dorm after hours" Ernie supplied

All the Slytherins, all the Gryffindors and Susan drank.

"Geeks" Theodore muttered at the non drinkers

"They're not geeks, their just more sensible than us" Susan told him, leaning back in her chair as far as she dared, her eyes on him, her head slightly bowed putting her face in shadow. The whole effect made her look quite dark and foreboding.

"Then why, did you go out after hours?" He quipped, leaning forwards, mocking her slightly.

"That. Is. None. Of. Your. Business." She hissed, drawing out each word.

The two then just watched each other, daring the other to look away, after a few tense minutes Susan flinched a little and her gaze went to the table.

"I've never had alcohol" Susan supplied.

All the Slytherins, along with Zach, Susan, Michael and Lucas sipped.

"I don't think any of you could survive a Slytherin Party" Blaise told them all, grinning.

"Well then you've obviously never been to a Hufflepuff party young innocent little Blaise" Susan told him, grinning broadly, throwing her hair back and leaning forwards to look him in the eye, her smile never faltering as everyone except the Hufflepuffs snickered in disbelief.

"No seriously! Susan is _the queen_ of parties; I do not know how many times I've had to break up a party that _she _started just because she felt like it" Ernie glared at Susan who smiled back sweetly, mocking him before running her hands through her hair distractedly.

"I don't believe you" Theodore told her.

"Like I care if you believe me or not, but to point something out...it is true what Ernie said, I just love pissing him off by throwing a party every now and then. Have you guys ever felt the walls of your common room shake slightly and been told by teachers that it's simply an old castle and its bound to shake a little?"

Each house nodded

"That wasn't the castle being old, that was a Hufflepuff party" Susan grinned at the shocked faces, the other three Hufflepuff sighed.

"If I never go through one of your parties again Susan it will be too soon" Ernie complained loudly.

"Love you too Ernie" Susan told him with a wink.

Pansy sat and watched the display Susan was putting on, she'd put up a barrier in her mind, this display was to put them off the scent, but Pansy could not be fooled by it, and by the looks of it none of her fellow Slytherin believed it either, a liar knows a liar as the saying goes.

Pansy stared at the blonde, trying to figure her out, like a puzzle, she was now sitting contently, drawing small circles on the table with a finger lightly. Pansy came to the conclusion that all that she had seen of Susan was true, they were all sides of her, but they were all being crushed, smothered, killed, by the side which hid everything, the side which was defenceless, quiet, the side that David Palmer brought out in her. Pansy had been lucky, she was just a passing fancy of David's, a few months and he dropped her, he'd hurt her, hit her, threatened her family, friends it had almost crushed her.

But after he had gone the people around her helped, they lifted her back up from the dark place she'd been kept in. Susan must be the strongest person she'd ever met, from what Pansy knew; they'd been together for over a year. If that had been Pansy she'd have thrown herself off of the astronomy tower by now. She knew the others were talking but did not care. All she wanted to do was help her fellow sufferer.

Now Pansy was prejudiced, she'd grown up with it and it had been force fed to her from a young age but with maturity comes a new state of mind where you re-think all you thought you knew and Pansy was slowly changing inside and out.

She only stopped her train of thought when Blaise's hand swept across her face trying to get her attention.

"You're thinking about her aren't you?" He asked in a lowered voice.

Pansy nodded and sighed.

"If she won't take your help then all you can do is be there to pick up the pieces." Blaise told her, eyes boring into hers

"She's different. He won't let go of her, with every other girl it's been a few months tops, she's been with him over a year. I think he wants her for life. If I don't help her now then there will physically only be pieces to pick up" Pansy said back, their voices hushed.

"If she's stupid enough to stay with him how are you going to help?" Theodore came into the conversation. His words harsher than any of them though he meant.

"You don't understand. He threatens you, and as soon as you don't care if you personally get hurt he threatens your family and friends. The fear is more than many girls would be able to bear. She must be _so so_ strong. Imagine the person you're supposed to rely on the most is more of an enemy, you can't say a word without criticism, and you do anything wrong and a beating comes your way. So you stop talking. Stop doing things that make him mad. You just simply stop everything, all for him." Pansy told Theodore.

Theodore looked shocked at those words and looked at Susan, who was now sitting on one of the purple sofas, happily chatting to Luna who had convinced her to try sitting upside down. Her hair was falling off the sofa onto the floor gracefully and a smile was on her face as she listened intently to Luna.

"Theo why do you and her always fight?" Draco asked suddenly, only the Slytherin were left at the table by this point.

"I don't know, it's just whenever I'm mad or something she's always there and I know that she'll fight back so it kind of gives me and outlet for my feelings" Theodore answered.

The other three smiled slightly. Theodore saw this

"What?" He questioned

"You have feelings towards her!" Pansy told him, now grinning broadly.

"No I don't! She's Susan Bones! She's a Hufflepuff!" He cried, though keeping his voice low enough not to be heard.

"And?" Blaise quipped.

Theodore glared.

Blaise grinned widely. If he got Theodore riled up enough he'd take it out on Susan.

"You want her! Admit it Theo you hate David Palmer for the sole reason that he's got something you want" Draco told him, catching onto Blaise's idea.

"I do not!" Theodore fumed, glaring hard at the blonde.

"Susan! Can you come here for a moment please?" Pansy called to Susan, who flipped off the chair and walked over

"Don't try to sit upside down in a chair for too long, it makes you dizzy" Susan advised as she came over, grabbing onto an empty chair for support.

"Theodore has something he wants to say to you" Blaise told her.

Susan turned expectantly to Theodore who found himself trapped under her gaze.

"Ignore them their being stupid, I didn't want to say anything to you" He told her, he suddenly didn't want to let his anger out at her; he wanted to let it out at his fellow Slytherin. He knew their game.

She frowned and walked back to Luna, this time sitting the right way up.

"I bet you loved it this morning when she was trapped under you" Blaise suddenly said, oblivious to Theodore's icy glare.

Theodore suddenly lunged at him, he gave a cry and ran like hell.

"Get back here!" Theodore cried.

"Not likely mate!" Came Blaise's reply as he ran behind the sofa.

The group watched the display, confused and amused at the Slytherin antics.

"I just want to talk Blaise" Theodore tried, calming his voice.

"I wasn't born yesterday!" Blaise told him as they circled the sofa on which Luna and Susan were both sat.

A low growl came from Theodore's throat as he ran for Blaise who gave a girlish cry and grabbed Susan, yanking her up and holding her in front of him.

Theodore stopped, fuming silently as Blaise used the one person he knew Theo wouldn't hurt to get to him.

"Hey I'm sure whatever Blaise did he's sorry" Susan told him, struggling to breath at Blaise's grip on her waist tightened.

"Let her go so I can kill you Blaise" Theodore warned.

"Not likely! Susan help me!" Blaise yelled.

"Theodore count to ten or something, whatever Blaise did can't merit killing him" Susan told him, her voice slightly raised now. She did not enjoy being used as a shield.

Theodore looked at her, she was struggling to get out of Blaise's grip and was looking at him imploringly. So he gave in.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before flopping down on an empty chair.

Blaise narrowed his eyes nervously and before letting go of Susan he whispered something in her ear.

"No he doesn't, don't be ridiculous Blaise" Was Susan's confused and defiant reply and Theodore knew what Blaise had told her and vowed he'd kill him the next time they were alone.

Now as this was all going on two of the Gryffindor were talking of love as well...

Ron, Lavender, Harry and Hermione all moved towards the largest sofa and started chatting when suddenly Hermione said

"Harry I saw this book that I want you to come look at" She stood and looked at him expectantly. He looked at her confused but at her pointed look it clicked and he smiled

"Of course I will Hermione" And with that they went and stood next to the bookcase. Passing Susan who had stood up to talk to the Slytherins

This obviously left Lavender and Ron together...alone.

"So...um...Is what Blaise said true?" Ron asked, stuttering.

Lavender giggled quietly as she saw his flustered state and nodded.

"Well...I-I like y-you too" Ron told her, looking into her eyes.

She grinned, her cheeks flushing prettily.

"Really?" She questioned

Ron could only nod as their heads came closer, and closer, almost there, their lips were seconds away from touching...

"Get back here!" The two flew apart as they saw Blaise sprinting away from a very mad Theodore.

Ron could have strangled someone but felt a little better as he watched the two Slytherins playing cat and mouse so childishly.

At this time more was happening over with Luna and Susan.

"Why exactly are we sitting upside down Luna?" Susan asked the fellow blonde and her close friend.

"Because this way the knarlweezers won't be able to steal out our hair to make their coats. They can't use hair which has touched the floor for more than to minutes." Luna explained patiently.

Susan smiled warmly and nodded in understanding before her face turned solemn as she saw the Slytherins glance at her.

"Luna they know. They've figured it out. What am I going to do? If he finds out he'll kill you and anyone else I love" She told her friend, panicking.

"He won't find out Sue. They obviously know how dangerous he is, they may be Slytherins but they are not stupid. They won't tell" Luna reasoned, trying to calm her down.

Before Susan could reply she heard Pansy's voice

"Susan! Can you come here for a moment please?"

Nervous and biting her lip she flipped off the chair and went over to the Slytherins, nervous and now quite dizzy from sitting upside down she grabbed onto a chair for support and advised

"Don't try to sit upside down in a chair for too long, it makes you dizzy"

Trying to focus her eyes properly Susan heard Blaise tell her

"Theodore has something he wants to say to you"

So she looked at Theodore expectantly, he looked very angry and Susan gripped onto the chair tighter to stop herself taking a step back.

"Ignore them their being stupid, I didn't want to say anything to you" He suddenly said, she could feel the anger radiating off of him and turned and walked back to Luna, this time sitting the right way up.

"What did they say?" Luna asked, her voice dreamy as ever.

"Nothing apparently." Susan answered, they both looked at the Slytherins, Blaise said something and Theodore lunged at him. Susan gasped as she watched the pair.

Suddenly she felt a hand pull her upright, an arm came around her waist tightly and she found it hard to breathe, realising it was Blaise she calmed down just a little but then froze as she saw Theodore seething only metres away.

"Hey I'm sure whatever Blaise did he's sorry" She reasoned with the angry young man.

"Let her go so I can kill you Blaise" Theodore warned. This shocked Susan, usually when Theodore was mad anything in his way got hurt.

"Not likely! Susan help me!" Blaise yelled. Now almost deaf Susan was losing her patience.

"Theodore count to ten or something, whatever Blaise did can't merit killing him" Susan told him, her voice slightly raised now. She did not enjoy being used as a shield.

She watched flickers of emotions pass over his face before he actually took her advice. Shocked as she was she was happy when Blaise released her. But before he did he whispered something to her which let her totally confused and annoyed. Making sure he knew that she did not believe a word he said she replied

"No he doesn't, don't be ridiculous Blaise"

She then sat back down and listened to Luna's explanation of why knarlweezers can't use hair which had been on the floor for 10 minutes in making their coats.


End file.
